PENN TOWNSHIP received its name from Penns Creek, a stream that has its beginning in Centre County and ends South of Selinsgrove where it flows into the Susquehanna River. Penns Creek was named after John Penn, the younger brother of William Penn.

A political unit by the name of PENN TOWNSHIP was known long before the organization of Snyder County. Due to its historical background, Penn Township can well be called the mother of Snyder County townships.

Records dating back to 1753 reveal Penn Township's existence in what was the northern part of Cumberland County. At that time Penn Township was comprised of the territory now included in the
townships of Union, Chapman, Perry, Washington, a portion of what now is Penn Township, as well as much of the townships of Monroe, Greenwood and Susquehanna in Juniata County.

When Northumberland County was organized in 1772 the territory of .Penn Township was changed. It then included a portion of Brown Township and most of Armagh and Decatur Townships in Mifflin County, the southern part of Hartley and Lewis Townships in Union County and all of what is now Snyder County, with the exception of Monroe Township and a small part of Jackson Township. In 1787 nearly one-half of Penn Township was organized into a new township known as Beaver.

In 1805 Centre Township was formed out of a portion of Beaver and Penn Townships. As the population of the area increased, the territory of Penn Township was sub-divided into smaller and present townships now found in Snyder County. By 1885 the territory of Penn Township was reduced to its present size and
location.

Northumberland County was founded in 1772 from Lancaster, Berks, Cumberland. Counties formed from Northumberland include Centre, Clearfield, Columbia, Columbia, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mifflin, Union.

Kirstaetter